Congratulations, you have made your first step
on the journey to reconnecting to your Hungarian heritage. After
you have been selected as part of the next explorer group, you will
have to get prepared, organized and finally, get going.

Your 14 days in Hungary will be like none
other: you will not be a tourist staring out the window of a sightseeing
bus and listening to countless audio-tapes. You will learn and experience
Hungarian traditions and history in a totally new way, as part of
a living culture, connecting to young Hungarians. Our expert organizers
have done their best to arrange your trip. To make sure you are
getting the most out of it, here is what you have to do.

Get prepared

Once you are selected,
you will receive a contract from us that spells out the details
of the program, as well as a Code of Conduct, which you have to
abide by during the trip. Read, sign and return it to us, along
with your credit card information for the security deposit.

Shortly after that, you
will get access to the online orientation course, a sort of primer
on basic Hungarian must-know information. The course is intense,
interactive and fun! It will help you get familiar with your Hungarian
self. Some information you may already know, some of it might be
new to you, but in either case, you will already be connecting alongside
your fellow explorers.

Later you will receive
the final travel itinerary with details on the cities, towns and
institutions you will visit, and the people and communities you
will meet during your travel. Make sure you read up about them,
Google their names, get familiar with them beforehand, if you wish.

Get organized

Make sure you have your passport
ready. International relations between Hungary and the
United States and Canada are very stable, Hungarians can travel
to the U.S. without a visa and citizens of the U. S. and Canada
can travel to Hungary the same way. It is mandatory, however, that
your passport be valid for at least three months beyond your period
of stay.

Learn a few words in Hungarian.
During the orientation course you will receive a list of basic words.
You can check out this
website now. Hungarians are very appreciative when people make
an effort to speak their language, which is considered to be among
the world's top three most difficult! The younger generation generally
speaks English, but people over the age of 30 are more likely to
know German.

Pack wisely. Airlines
let you check in one piece of luggage weighing up to 50 pounds (23
kilograms) and carry on one small bag. (Detailed information will
be available after your acceptance.) They charge you a significant
amount for overweight luggage. Make sure you save some space for
presents, and pack for a leisure trip with continental summer temperatures
(86-100F with possible showers). Get ready for several occasions
which will require business casual attire (skirts/slacks,
shirt, blazer, dress shoes). Don't pack only shorts and tee shirts;
bring a pair of jeans and a sweater for rainy days. If you are bringing
any electric chargers or appliances, make sure you have transformers
and plug adaptors, since Hungary uses the standard European 220-240V
dual plug network. Cell phones use the EU standard 900/1800 MHz
network.

All your costs are basically covered: you will be provided with accommodations
and 3 meals a day, and you won't have to worry about getting around
or paying entrance fees. Your pocket money, however, should cover
the gifts you are bringing back home, incidental items and snacks,
any extra activities you may do during your free time, or if you feel
like you just have to go back to that trendsetting restaurant the
next day. $150-200 a week should be more than enough. In Hungary,
credit/debit cards are not as widely accepted as back home; however,
medium and larger grocery stores, better restaurants, and most stores
do accept them—primarily VISA or MasterCard, but rarely American Express
or Discover. You can find an ATM easily, and it is not hard to exchange
your dollars into forints at a good rate.

Get going

Be open. If you are going
on the trip, you have been selected from numerous great applicants
eager to rediscover their Hungarian self. The overwhelming portion
of your trip is being financed by those generous individuals who
feel you must be among the few who will get to experience their
Hungarian heritage in this unique way. Make sure you have a great
time by being open to the sights, the stories you'll hear, the feelings
expressed by people. After all, this is part of who you are. So
be open to your heritage, be open to yourself.

Be curious. You will meet
the best and most interesting of Hungary – the people, the places,
the businesses. Well, at least the best two weeks can offer. Do
not miss this opportunity to get to know as much as possible about
everything. You will be part of the discussion. After all, this
is what's in you and this is what you are a part of.

Be responsible. Some of
the programs will include night activities, and you will be accompanied
by selected Hungarian university students and young professionals
to ensure you have a good time and bring back the best memories.
Hungarian wine and pálinka are tempting, but do not forget that
you have to make the most out of the next day, so know your limits.
If you are under 21, you are required to refrain from consuming
alcohol according to U.S. regulations. Know that during your travel,
U.S., Canadian and Hungarian state laws apply to you. Make sure
you follow the two rules of the trip: fully engage in the programs,
and avoid excessive behaviors.

Be safe. Hungary is no
more dangerous than any other European country and Budapest is similarly
as safe as any other capital city. You should not display your valuables
(camera, smart phone, wallet, and so on) in crowded places, and
keep your belongings in sight, as is common sense. Your program
coordinator, who will accompany you throughout your stay, will always
assess the safety of a situation and guide you appropriately. Hungary
has not been the target of any terrorist activity and is a close
ally of the United States and Canada through many channels, such
as NATO and OSCE. Hungarians are, generally speaking, friendly towards
visitors.

Be happy. It is a pleasure
to have you on board and it is great that you are taking part in
this journey of self-discovery. Enjoy your trip!

Disclaimer (c) ReConnect Hungary, 2014. ReConnect Hungary is not responsible for any technical errors that may occur
during the application process and reserves the right to change the contents
of this website.